


Tell me I'm real

by KUPOXV



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Forced Surgery in chapter 3, Kidnapping, M/M, MT!Prompto, Mentions of Rape, Mentions of Violence, Torture, Violence, human!Prompto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-07 20:48:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10369098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KUPOXV/pseuds/KUPOXV
Summary: When Prompto is kidnapped by the chancelor, Noctis flies to his rescue and thinks everything will be back to normal as soon as he reaches to him.But when the prince finally gets to his friend, he finds himself with two Prompto and has to make a difficult choice.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wanted to write some angst !  
> I don't know if this will have a next chapter or if I just stop it here, I guess it will depend on you guys.  
> EDIT : Okay, since you guys are asking for it, there will be other chapters ! <3
> 
> TW : mentions of torture, rape, and violence.

Noctis thinks he has never seen or heard more horrible things in his life. Zegnautus Keep is the worst place in the world. It is so huge yet so empty, an enormous metallic maze filled with deadly traps and ennemis. It was obviously abandonned a while ago because of some kind of mysterious epidemic spreading to everyone working and living here. He didn't see a lot of corpses until now, only abandonned clothes on the floor, like people suddenly vanished. Most of the "dead" things are MTs lying on the floor but a few of them still have some energy to stand up and chase after him. Some corridors' lights are not working anymore and since he can't find any generator, he has to push forward with his small flashlight. Daemons appear sometimes in front or behind him and he has to fight for his life or run away when they're too strong for him. He'll have to thank Gladiolus for forcing him to do some intense training everyday as soon as they get back to Insomnia. Everytime he thinks he is lost again, he wonders why he is here and Ardyn's voice is quick to remind him.

 

"Poor Prompto. I'm not sure he'll make it if you keep being so slow."

 

"Come on, Prince Noctis, do I really have to help you _again_ ?"

 

Noctis swears everytime he hears his voice, feeling furious. He knows who the chancelor of Niflheim is (his father invited him to the palace for important meetings concerning a peace treaty before) but he has no idea what went through the man's head when he decided to kidnap his bestfriend. The prince had walked in his own appartment to find a note saying _the real Prompto_ will be waiting for him in Gralea and that he better keep this for himself if he wanted to see him again.

 

The most difficult task had been to leave the capital without anyone knowing, to go to Gralea by himself and stay anonymous. He told Ignis that he'd stay at Prompto's place for a few days, but his advisor always knows when he is bullshiting him and it was difficult to sound confident when he knew his blonde friend was in danger. But somehow, Ignis believed him. Maybe he should've told him, just in case he failed and couldn't come back. He trusts Ignis to find him even if he has no clue. He just hopes they won't start another war because of him being away for too long, it was just starting to get better between the kingdom of Lucis and the empire.

 

He wonders if Ardyn had planned the date of his kidnapping or if he somehow managed to guess the prince was about to confess his love to Prompto and decided to ruin everything. Noctis wanted to take his bestfriend to the beach near Galdin Quay, to spend an amazing week-end together and tell him everything. The both of them have been flirting together for a long time now, and the way Prompto stares at him or blushes when the raven compliments him made Noctis take his decision. Hell, they even confessed each other that they both weren't interested in girls and that day Prompto looked like he was about to explode.

 

Another metallic door, another empty room with tons of files. One of them catches his attention, someone obviously put this one on a clean table so he would notice it. The raven grabs the paper and reads it quickly.

 

« The new generation of magitechs, called MT 2.0, have nothing in common with their predecessors. The use of the starscourge to create them is unecessary and doesn't involve daemons. MT 2.0 are molded after real human beings, their skin is made with a sample of the original's skin and some organs can be taken from the orignal too. The insides of MT 2.0  are a mix of real and fake organs depending on how healthy the original was, the brain is the only organ always fake and implanted with a microchip to keep track of them. Their strength is not developped and they can only be used as spies. The strange presence of magic in their bodies seems to have allowed them to develop a mind of their own and feelings. Mr. Besithia decided to stop the production after several tried to escape. »

Noctis worries his lower lip and cringes when the chancelor's voice is back to haunt him again. “Are things more clear now ?”

The prince chooses to keep quiet, he doesn't want to give any satisfaction to the man and has to focus on finding Prompto as soon as possible. But these files are stuck in his mind and it's hard to ignore the worrying thoughts and questions slowly rising inside him.

 

 

He can't believe his own eyes when the door separating him from Prompto finally opens and he has to blink multiple times to make sure it's real. He is not greeted by one blonde, but two. Two Prompto. Two similar bodies, naked, stuck in some kind of strange devices looking like a crucifix. The one on the left is unconscious, his body covered in old and more recent scars, blood dripping on the floor from fresh wounds, his skin bruised, something that the prince easily identifies drying on his thighs but still dripping from his insides and the boy looks awfully skinny. Ribs sticking out, cheeks hollowed and he looks sick.

The one on the right is coming back to his mind and Noctis knows he is _his_ Prompto. There is no way he could be the other one after being gone for only three days. Blue eyes he is so fond of are now staring at him.

 

“N-Noct !”

 

Prompto starts crying and the prince comes closer. His first reaction is to hug him despite the device, then trying to free him. “It's okay, I'm here. I'm taking you back to Insomnia and... Prom, who is this other guy ?” He doesn't see his blonde friend biting his lower lip, too busy trying to find a way to get him off the horrible device. Frustration growing inside him. “Fuck, I can't open it !”

 

A now too familiar and sadistic laugh resonates through the speakers in the cell and he freezes. When Ardyn knows he has their full attention, he starts talking.

 

“I am truly amazed you could make it in time ! Now, are you sure this is the one you want to take home ? Let me give you some additional informations first. After that, I'll let you pick one and I will keep the other for myself.”

 

“Fuck you Ardyn !” Noctis shouts, but the chancelor doesn't seem to care.

 

“This boy you're trying to help right now, his real name is Prompto Besithia and was born here in Zegnautus Keep. Oh... Maybe _made_ would be a more appropriate word. Prompto is part of the generation 2.0 you wear reading about before. As you can see, his body was molded over the original one, Prompto Argentum.”

 

The prince stops breathing, straightening to look at his bestfriend who keeps his eyes closed and bites his lips hard. Noctis takes a step back. “Prom, is it true ?” It can't be real, they met when they were just kids. They became friends on their first day of highschool and never left each other since then. Prompto can't be some kind of machine sent by the empire to spy on him. He needs his friend to tell him he's real, that he's not a lie.

 

“While the one on the left,” Ardyn laughs when the other boy jumps at the sound of his voice, slowly coming back to himself, “You finally wake up, sweetheart ? This one is the real Prompto Argentum. A simple boy from your kingdom, an orphan nobody seemed to care about, so we decided to give him a purpose in life, you know. He had so many risks to die alone and useless, the empire gave him a chance to be useful. And I'm glad we did it, we probably made the most gorgeous MT out of him.”

 

Noctis is now staring at the other boy, the real Prompto Argentum. A shadow of what he could've been. He can't believe the security in Insomnia failed them and is so low the empire could just kidnap a child.  Or maybe no one cared because he was just an orphan. This is even worst.

 

“But you know this one too. I recall you met him when you were around ten years old maybe ? We took him a two years later, how sad for him. He was working so hard to lose weight and look perfect for his prince.”

 

So this is him... The chubby little boy who was taking pictures of everything and fell in a really comical way the first time they talked together. No wonders why the other Prompto acted like it was his first time meeting him in highschool, he couldn't remember something that never happened. It was all a lie.

 

“It took us a few months and a lot of patience to make this beautiful MT, but the result was worth it. We should've killed the original but I decided to keep him for myself after the fake one escaped. It would be a waste to get rid of such a gorgeous creature when we can make such a great use of it. I wish you knew how beautiful he looks when he begs for mercy, or how nice it sounds when his bones crack.” 

 

Noctis is now standing in the middle of the cell, feeling sick. His gaze moving from the human Prompto to the MT one, his Prompto. Confused. He doesn't know what to do, say, or even think. The blonde on his right keeps crying, his body shaking while the other one can barely move.

 

“Noct, I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell you, I was so scared you would hate me ! I- I never intended to betray you or hurt you. I never came back to Niflheim because I wanted to stay by your side !”

 

His heart tightens in his chest, he wants to trust him. But it's so difficult. The man he loves is not human, or just partially. He doesn't have biological parents, he was made from another. He is a tool of the empire.

 

But he loves him.

 

He can still take him back to Insomnia and tell everything to Ignis. They'll find a solution, maybe they can do something ?

 

“Now here is the thing. Only _I_ can open these two devices. It would spoil the fun if you took the both of them back to Insomnia, and it would raise suspicions among people with two Prompto in the Lucian capital. You'll have to make a choice, little prince. Either you choose this imposter you've been living with for years and who stole another's life. Or you choose to save an innocent who never asked for this.”

 

Noctis's eyes widen in horror when he realizes. He didn't think about it, but it's true. Prompto stole another's life, and he never talked about it to anyone. He left his original back in Niflheim, did he know the other blonde was still alive and being tortured ?

Fuck. He can't think, he can't make this choice. He ignores Prompto's tears on his right, staring at the other one who looks like he won't live another day here. He thinks about all the options he has and after a few minutes, he makes his decision. The raven walks toward the Prompto he's known for years and gently kisses him on his forehead.

 

“Prom, I'm sorry... I'll come back for you.” He whispers and the blonde shakes his head, begging Noctis to take him. But Noctis slowly steps away and come closer to the other one, turning his back to his childhood friend. “I'm taking this one home.”

 

“The human over the machine, I see. ~ I knew you'd choose this one.” Ardyn's voice sounds amused. The prince doesn't make any comment. He doesn't have a choice, the real Prompto will probably die within days if he doesn't take him to a hospital. He hears a clicking sound and the blonde falls from the now opened device. Noctis holds him in his arms and is alarmed by how light the boy is. His grip tightens around the limp and half-unconscious boy and the raven turns to his friend who is staring at him with pleading eyes.

 

“Noct please... Please don't leave me here.” Prompto says with a small voice. Noctis wishes he could take him too, but it's too late now.

 

“I-I promise I'll come back for you, okay ? This one is about to die. He needs medical care. I promise Prom.”

 

Prompto is still crying, but he nods and closes his eyes. Noctis can't ask him to understand, only to be patient and wait. He just prays Ardyn won't kill him.

 

“Don't worry, dear prince. I'll take good, good care of him until you come back. _If_ you come back.”

 

The raven doesn't say anything and walks out the cell with the other man in his arms, biting his tongue so hard he tastes blood in his mouth. He makes his way out after he found some clothing to cover Prompto's naked body and is relieved when nothing is there to attack them, no traps either. Ardyn is just letting them go. He walks as fast as possible to the exit, things are much easier since the doors are all opened for them now, and he sighs in relief once he is sitting in his car, Prompto lying on the backseat, wrapped in a coat they found earlier. It takes a while for him to start the car as he slowly realizes he just abandonned his bestfriend.

 

...

 

As soon as Noctis disappears from his view, the lights of his cell shut off and everything is quiet for a moment. The blonde keeps crying, tears rolling down is cheeks. He's scared, he doesn't want to stay here. He didn't escape years ago to come back here and have to face Ardyn and the others again. He always hated this place since he was born. The way the scientists treated him, the look the chancelor would give him when he visited them, how cold and sad everything is here. He wants to go back to Insomnia, to Noctis's appartment, play video games and eat with him.

'Most of them are dead, at least.' He tells himself when he suddenly feels another's presence. His device lets him go and Prompto falls face flat on the floor. His entire body is painful and it takes a lot of energy for him to just raise on his elbow. He freezes when he hears footsteps and screams when a heavy boot crushes him on the floor.

 

“Welcome home, beauty.”

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote half of this chapter half-drunk, I'm sorry. But hey guys, you get some Prompto x Prompto here !
> 
> TW : Consensual underage sex (between 15~16 y.o) + mentions of violence

Rather than going back to Insomnia, Noctis chooses to stop in Lestallum to take Prompto to a hospital. It's probably better, since people around don't know what the prince look like and his retainers will never expect him to be here. Plus, Prompto needs medical care as soon as possible and there are at least two hours left to get to the capital.

He parks his car and takes the unconscious man in his arms, then rushes him to the emergency section of the rather small hospital of Lestallum (compared to the ones in Insomnia). A nurse shows him the way to a room and he puts the blonde on a clean bed. The nurse then asks him to wait outside the room while she urges one of her colleagues to get a doctor. Noctis is frustrated but doesn't say anything and just sits on an uncomfortable chair in the corridor for what feels like hours. After a moment, he remembers he shut off his phone before entering Zegnautus Keep and decides to turn it back on. Biting his lower lips, he waits for it to get a signal and almost chokes when he sees he's got 4 missed calls from Ignis, and 7 from Gladio with a text where he threatens him to kick his ass to the moon if he doesn't reply immediatly.

'Okay, you have to call them now. No choice.' He tells himself as he presses the call back button on Ignis' name and takes his phone close to his right ear. His advisor is already talking.

 

“Noctis, do you know how worried everyone is ? Where are you ?”

 

His voice is calm as always but the prince can feel a hint of something like anger. He keeps quiet. Trying to think about a fake story and at the same time, he doesn't want to lie. Ignis says his name multiple time before he finally replies, on the verge of tears.

 

“Iggy. Prompto was- ugh... Kidnapped.”

 

It is his advisor's turn to be quiet and say nothing, he can imagine him with his mouth wide open as well as his eyes. The raven sighs and continues.

 

“I got a message telling me his location, they told me to keep it for myself if I wanted to see him again so I went alone. It took me a while to find him and take him back and _please don't start lecturing me_ I know it was dangerous.”

 

“I... I'll leave the lecture to Gladiolus. Where are you ?”

 

“Lestallum's hospital.”

 

“Are you hurt ? How about Prompto ?”

 

“I"m okay, but Prompto is in a really bad state. He'll make it. He needed medical care immediately so I took him to the closest place.”

 

“I guess you did well. We'll be there in a few hours. Please stay there.”

 

Noctis hangs up before his advisor can add anything else and crosses his arms, waiting patiently for a nurse or a doctor to tell him he can see Prompto. He tries not to think about his bestfriend trapped in Zegnautus Keep with Ardyn, but it's impossible. He doesn't know what to think about this whole MT story and it doesn't sound like a good idea to talk about it with Ignis and Gladio, not yet. Still, he is worried for him. The chancellor implied that he'd keep him for himself so his life may not be in danger, but he is still between the hands of this sick guy. As soon as the human Prompto is safe and back to Insomnia, he will go back to there. If the MT Prompto is innocent, he deserves to be saved. And if he's not, he will still save him and chain him somewhere to interrogate him. Either way, he wants him by his sides.

 

A woman gently shakes his shoulder later in the afternoon and Noctis blinks a few times before he is fully awake, he didn't realize he'd fall asleep. He looks at her and the nurse smiles gently.

 

“Your friend is sleeping, but if you want to stay in the room with him, you can.”

 

“He... He's going to be okay, right ?”

 

“Of course, don't worry sir. He is on a blood perfusion and has some stitches so please don't make him stand up if he wakes up. Don't feed him anything either, we'll take care of it.”

 

Noctis nods and thanks her before entering the room, closing the door quietly behind him and sitting on an armchair next to the bed. It's not very comfortable, but still better than the one in the corridor and it's not as warm in the room. The temperatures are too high outside these days.

He keeps staring at the other man. Now that he has the time, he studies his entire face, amazed at how similar he looks to his bestfriend. Even their freckles look like they're exactly at the same place. He recognizes a small mole close to his left eyebrow. The man has long blonde lashes too. The big difference is in the hollow of his cheeks and how skinny he is. Prompto was never big since they met in high school, Noctis would even scold him and tell him to eat more at times. But this is extreme. His collarbones look like they could pop out any moment and he remembers how his ribs were sticking out when he found the two men. The prince swears under his breath and gently takes the smaller man's hand in his, comforted when he feels the warmth of his skin. He frowns when he sees multiple scars on his wrist, the hint of a tattoo looking like a barcode under the biggest one. This scar is particularly since it looks like someone bit it and ripped the skin off, he can still see the ghost of sharp teeth that digged in the flesh. Fuck Ardyn, seriously.

 

 

He is dozing off when he feels his hand being squeezed. His eyes shot open and he sighs in relief when they meet with Prompto's, blue eyes staring at him and he can't help but think they are lacking this obvious hunger to live life to its fullest that his bestfriend always had. They study each other for a few seconds until the blonde man starts talking first.

 

“Thank you...” He murmurs with a cracked voice. Noctis' heart tightens in his chest and he forces a small smile.

 

“You're safe now. My retainers will arrive tonight and take us back to Insomnia, you'll be okay.”

 

“You left him with the chancellor ?”

 

The prince's smile vanishes and he lets go of his hand. Sinking in his armchair and crossing his arms. He thought Prompto wouldn't want to talk about it the moment he wakes up, but it's probably for the better.

 

“Yeah... I'll go get him back when I'm sure you're safe.”

 

“Hm...”

 

Noctis sighs heavily and turns his head to look at him again. “I know it may be too early but... I need you to help me understand.”

 

He sees the smaller man shrugging, looking at a blank spot on the wall.

 

“I don't even understand all of this myself.”

 

“Just tell me everything you remember.”

 

Prompto is now looking at him, tears threatening to fall, eyes blurry. He slowly nods and tries to sit comfortably, Noctis helps him by adding another pillow behind his back and gives him a glass of fresh water. When the smaller male feels a bit better, he takes a deep breath in and starts talking.

 

 

__

 

 

Prompto wakes up to the sound of someone slamming the door of his small room wide open against the metallic wall. The stranger didn't take two steps in the room, the blonde boy is already up, trying to fix his hair despite being still half asleep, wondering what time it could be. Usually, no one would wake him up. He has a clock for this, and it's not like there is anything interesting to do for him. In addition to be stuck here against his will just like many others, there aren't a lot of things to do. They're not an incredible number of 'prisoners' though, there are only a hundred of them. It is nothing compared to the amount of people working inside the enormous facility.

The man, strict looking with his dark hair tied in a tight ponytail, is looking at a file and sighs.

 

“It's a big day for you, young man. The chancellor asked for you, get dressed and follow me.”

 

Prompto bites his tongue and simply nods before changing for the clothes he was given months ago. Simple white pants and a shirt the same color with some kind of hospital shoes he really dislikes. But it's better than walking bare feet, so he never complains. They take the elevator to go to another floor and the man walks him through a maze of corridors until they stop in front of two big metallic doors. He uses a key card to open them and pushes him inside before leaving.

 

The room is big and dark, but he can still make out the imposing figure of the chancellor on the other side. Ardyn is standing in front of what looks like a coffin made of metal and glass, his face is lit up by the weak blue light coming from the inside of it. Prompto keeps his distance, staying two meters away from the much taller man and waits. When Ardyn finally aknowledges his presence, he walks toward him with a satisfied smile, shivers run down his spine when amber eyes fall on him. The chancellor takes his hand and Prompto almost jumps in surprise, staring at the long fingers before he is taken closer to the coffin. The silence only disturbed by their footsteps and an unstoppable noise coming from the device. He can't stop feeling curious and takes a look at what's inside, though he already has an idea. Prompto leans closer, and he feels sick when he sees _it_. The bitter, acide taste of bile invades his mouth. He wants to take a step back but is stopped by a large hand behind his neck, grip tightening when he tries to move out and Prompto can only stare at the boy in the coffin.

 

“This is amazing,” the chancellor whispers in his ear, “You could be twins.”

 

His entire body starts shaking, legs threatening to give up on him. Tears roll down his cheeks, he can't stop looking at the other male asleep. Is he sleeping ? Or is he not activated yet ? Not alive ? He knows so little about how this kind of MT works, they're so different from the “old” ones. As if Ardyn could hear his thoughts, he replies to his silent question.

 

“He will be complete in a few hours.”

 

Complete. That's right, they're making this boy out of him. He isn't a human made the traditional way but some kind of hybrid. He knows. Prompto swallows back his tears, unable to hide his fear and disgust. He has been stuck here for almost four years now, he knew it would happen when they started to take samples of his skin, hair and more. He has been through a lot of tests, heard discussions between scientists (they don't really try to hide these kind of experiments from their prisoners, since they're not supposed to ever leave this place). He was still hoping it would take longer. But today, he is facing the MT who's supposed to replace him and live _his_ life. They're probably going to kill him - the real Prompto - after that, and of course, he's terrified.

 

His thoughts are interrupted by another person walking in. Ardyn's hand slips from his nape to the small of his back so Prompto can turn to see who is coming to see them but has to stay where he is standing. He recognizes Besithia, a scientist in charge of... Well, pretty much everything if he understood correctly. He is the one who created MTs with the help of the chancellor, and came up with the idea of those new MTs too. He likes to call them _hybrids_.

 

“You're already here ? You're so impatient, chancellor.”

 

Ardyn grins in return. “What can I say, I've had a weakness for this one since I first saw him.”

 

Prompto wants to disappear. He knows the maroon haired man is talking about the MT version of him, but his obvious and sick obsession over this boy makes him uncomfortable. He'd be there everytime they ran tests on him, took his measurements or almost butchered him to take samples of skin, roughly ripped off his right wrist. He can't tell how many times he found himself half-naked in front of a dozen of people. When he turned fifteen, they decided it was time to start making his MT's bones. And once again, Ardyn was here, with his creepy smile and soothing voice, telling him that he should be proud to be part of this. He finally was useful for something. And when the making of the MT Prompto finally started, he'd see him less often. The chancellor was either busy or making sure everything was working well. He didn't see him for months until today.

 

..........

 

Prompto has been sitting in a dark corner of the room for hours now. Listening to occasional conversations between the two older men, hoping they would forget about him in the mean time. Arms circled tightly around his legs, face burried against his knees, he waits. He hears Besithia checking on an electric pannel connected to the coffin from time to time. Something about the MT's brain being fully operational already and they can take him out in a few minutes.

Another fifteen minutes later, the upper part of the coffin is opened. Prompto watches Ardyn leaning over the body, his hands on each side of the sleeping blonde's head. When their foreheads touch, Prompto hears him whispering something against the lips of the other, eyes closed. He can't make out the words, but it looks like some kind of spelling. When the chancellor is done, he straightens. Prompto stands up and takes a timid step closer, curious.

It takes a few seconds, a few heartbeats, before the boy lying inside the metallic coffin suddenly opens his eyes and takes a deep breath in, whimpering when his never used lungs start working and grabbing at the skin of his chest where his heart starts beating right beneath the skin. Panic follows with the pain, Prompto watches the one who could be his twin trembling, coughing and crying. Besithia doesn't react and simply takes notes. Ardyn, though, cups the smaller man's face between his large hands. He is about to say something, but is stopped by two slim arms wrapping around his neck. Prompto's eyes widen in horror when he sees the fake version of him holding onto the chancelor like his life depends on it, his face burried in his neck, warm tears staining the older man's jacket.

 

His heart has been beating for just a minute now, and he already made the biggest mistake in his life.

 

Prompto's heart drops in his stomach when he sees the small smile on Ardyn's face and lifts the naked boy like a bride before turning to Besithia who raises an eyebrow.

 

“I'm keeping him.”

 

It's not a question, all of them know it. The scientist frowns but writes it on his file before he points his pen at Prompto, the real one. “What do we do with this one ?”

 

The chancellor turns to look at him and grins. “We're keeping him too, for now.”

 

The blonde man says nothing and chooses to just stare at his feet. His feelings mixed between relief and anxiety. He is going to live, but now he doesn't know what they will be expecting from him. Ardyn leaves with the newborn in his arms. The scientist finishes to write a few things before focusing on him.

 

“Go back to your room. You're getting a tattoo tomorrow.”

 

 

~6 days later~

 

 

Prompto is sitting on the leathered sofa of the meeting room, staring at his now tattooed wrist, frowning. It is still an angry red color around the dark letters, and painful. He is the very first human to get a barcode. He has now access to a few more rooms and is forever marked as a belonging of the empire.

He sighs and tugs on his sleeve to hide it, then looks at the room where he is. It looks like a big living room, with a large tv, a bookshelf, a large table and a very comfortable carpet. It feels so nice on his bare feet. Almost too nice. He is not used to that kind of treatment. He was told to be there at 8 am, nothing else. Prompto is not stupid enough to disobey so he just came early and has been waiting for twenty minutes.

The familiar beeping noise of the door opening has him to stand up and wait for whoever is about to come in. He is expecting anyone, except for _him_.

 

Prompto stops breathing when the boy who looks exactly like him walks in, a wide smile stretching his lips when he sees the human and comes closer, causing Prompto to take a step back and fall back on the sofa. The blonde boy hesitates, concern showing on his face and he stands in front of him. He looks away, while nervously playing with one of his sleeves.

 

“So, hm...” He starts, his voice sounds the same as his, “Nice to meet you, I'm Prompto.”

 

His hands ball into fists when the MT sits next to him with a small smile, his eyes never leaving his. He's not Prompto, he is just a fake version of him. It takes a lot of will for the blonde to swallow back something really mean, he doesn't need to make an enemy of him.

 

“Yeah... Me too. Are we really allowed to meet ?”

 

The other blonde nods with energy and sits crossed legs.

 

“Yes ! I asked for permission. Besithia said it was necessary if I wanted to learn from you.”

 

Learn from him... Huh. So he can act the way he does and replace him soon, probably. Prompto doesn't know what to say. He just keeps staring at the other boy. Their bodies are so similar, the freckles on their faces, hands... He can even spot a discrete mole on his left ear. It's crazy.

 

“That's amazing... How you look like me.”

 

If he didn't see him coming out of the coffin the other day, he could believe they're real twins. That they were in the same womb and born the same day. But even twins can't be that similar, can they ? He puts his anger aside and raises his hand to touch the other's face, his skin so smooth. The boy takes this as an invitation to do the same. Pale fingers are soon working their way on the human's face, gently poking his cheeks, touching his nose, his thumbs pausing on pink lips and he just stares at them. Ignoring the hands sliding from his face to his neck and collarbones. The MT tilts his head and smiles.

 

“Am I really that good-looking ?”

 

Prompto's cheeks turn to a pink shade, surprised by the compliment.

 

“H-how can you say that ? You don't even have a concept of what beauty is.”

 

The MT's smile fades away and Prompto can see he hurt him. He is as easy as his human version to read. And the only thing he can see in those eyes is sadness. Warm hands leave his face and he looks away while Prompto bites his lower lip.

 

“I'm sorry, I didn't want to sound mean or...”

 

“It's difficult.”

 

Prompto blinks and raises a curious brow. He doesn't understand what he means by that.

 

“I know I started... Hm. I was born only six days ago. I know what I am. Besithia treats me like one would treat a computer. But I don't feel like a machine. I... feel things. I can think too. There are... so many thoughts rushing through my head when I close my eyes. And I just-” He sighs and looks at him with pleading eyes, “Please treat me like a normal person.”

 

Prompto pinches his lips, he needs a moment to think about it. He heard many rumors about these hybrids being able to think by themselves but no one confirmed it to him yet. So what if it's true ? What if this Prompto really has thoughts and feelings of his own ? It would be unfair to treat him like a mindless robot. And it's stupid to be bitter toward him, he didn't ask to be made.

 

“Fine...” he says and the boy's face lights up, “But from now on, we need to differentiate ourselves. So I will be Prompto, and you're Prom. Okay ?”

 

Prom pouts, frowning a little. “Why am I the one with the surname ?”

 

“Because I was here first ! I have all the rights on our name.” Prompto smiles gently and takes the other's hands, squeezing them, “So, good ?”

 

Prom bites his lower lip -the same way Prompto always does when he is stressed or worried- before nodding and embracing him.

 

 

 

~2 months later~

 

 

They meet each other almost everyday. Thanks to Prom's now welcomed presence in his life, days pass faster and he doesn't have to deal with anxiety everytime he hears a door opening or footsteps in the corridors. Ardyn rarely shows himself, but when he does, his possessive behavior toward the MT is obvious. At least he is ignoring him, and that's much better. Prom doesn't seem to be bothered by the chancellor's presence. Though Prompto noticed the bruises on his arms and back, as well as the way he sometimes jumps when Ardyn touches him. But he always tells him that he enjoys the older man's presence and Prompto doesn't want any trouble, so he pretends he is okay with it.

 

He has been waiting for one hour at their usual spot, this empty living room some other hybrids or humans come visit from time to time. It feels weird to interact normally with others now. He wonders if it's part of some kind of experiment or if they just decided to go easy on them. It's more likely to be the first option.

 

He often talks about Insomnia. How beautiful the capital is, how school was when he was still living there. He also talks about the prince, Noctis Lucis Caelum, more than he should. How they first met a few years ago, the promise he made himself to lose weight and befriend him later, but he never had the occasion. Prom always listens to him, staring at him and drinking his words.

 

They could finally find the major difference between each other one night when Prom sneaked out in his room to spend time with him. They pushed the boundaries of their relationship that day, when Prompto hugged the other boy tightly under the blankets and started kissing him desperatly. He doesn't know why he did that. He suddenly felt extremely lonely, and that was the first thing to come to his mind. Prom didn't push him back, he tensed up a little at first, but soon deepened their kiss by tilting his head and opening his mouth. They rubbed their bodies together, soft moans escaping their lips and Prompto was so thankful the lights were off because what they were doing was _so wrong_. They'd end up naked, Prompto exploring the body of the MT version of himself. Caressing his hips, hands sliding to his thighs and he stopped when he realized how smooth the skin was. Unlike him, he didn't have any stretch marks, proof of his weightloss. He was relieved, somehow, to find out they weren't exactly the same. He'd let Prom touch him too, shivering in pleasure when thin fingers explored his inner thighs to feel his scarred skin before going back up, hesitating before he grabbed his erected shaft and Prompto did the same to him. Pumping his cock while hungrily kissing his neck. He wanted to bite him too, but feared to mark him and the chancellor would find out. They'd make each other come at the same time, swallowing the other's moans in their mouths while kissing. The human male amazed by the MT trembling in pleasure next to him, his body functionned exactly like his. He would've never thought he could experience sexual pleasure, arousal, or be able to cum. Damn, he was supposed to be the new generation of those mindless and fucked up machines, not just an extremely close version of a human.

 

Prom visits him at least two nights per week to play with each other, whenever Ardyn is not around. One wants to learn and discover himself, while the other is just seeking comfort and affection. The fear of being caught is so exciting. He often wonders what would people think if they found them like this, touching and kissing. The face Ardyn would make if he walked on them sucking each other, it'd probably be worth it. It doesn't feel wrong anymore, he doesn't care, it just feels good.

 

 

He is watching tv, waiting for the other boy who is already 45 minutes late when a strident noise echoes in the room and the corridors, so loud Prompto has to cover his ears. A man comes in the living room to order him to lie on the floor and that's what he does. He then starts talking -or more like screaming- in his phone, things about some MTs escaping the facility and Prompto's heart skips a beat. It can't be Prom, he wouldn't do that to him, right ? He wouldn't leave without him, they talked about it before. They made plans together, saying that if they left, he would make him visit Insomnia. They would eat at different restaurants together, go to the amusement park. He would rent an apartment and they could pretend they are twins and maybe then they could meet with Noctis. He _can't_ leave without him.

 

It takes a moment for the alarm to stop and Prompto to be allowed to stand up. He is sent back to his room and waits, anxiety crawling under his skin. Time passes and he decides to just sleep. Maybe Prom will back when he wakes up.

When he opens his eyes, a few hours later, Ardyn is sitting on a chair next to his bed, staring at him with a blank expression on his face and Prompto knows this is not good. He slowly sits up on his bed, hands shaking as he grips the white sheets. The maroon haired man moves to sit on the matress, right next to him, and grabs the blonde's chin between his long fingers.

 

“I am surprised my precious Prompto didn't bother taking you with him when he ran away, you two seemed rather _really close_ , am I right ?”

 

His voice is smooth, his fingers gently stroking his skin, and this is even more terrifying. Prompto's heart is beating furiously in his chest. A mix of anger, sadness and fear overwhelm him. He feels betrayed, abandoned _again_. He just looks back at Ardyn, lips trembling.

 

“Yes.”

 

“And how does it feel to be left behind ?” the man says with a smile.

 

“It hurts.”

 

“Ha, ha. But it is only your fault for letting him dream about a better place.” His grips tightens on his chin until it hurts, it will probably leave bruises. “I must say I am furious against you. I let you talk about Insomnia and the little prince thinking you deserved to share your melancholia after all you've been through, but I didn't expect my beautiful boy to plan an escape and be brave enough to leave. Not so soon at least. I guess he is much smarter than he looks like.” He leans closer until their foreheads touch, Prompto chooses to close his eyes, “But this is a good opportunity to see how he evolves in the kingdom of Lucis and if he can get closer to the prince. His first goal was, after all, to replace you. As a reward, I am not going to kill you.”

 

Prompto doesn't like it. Ardyn is never kind to anyone, not really, unless he has something in his mind. The older man's hands move slowly to his neck, calloused fingers wrapping around it.

 

“No... I am going to keep you for myself. I've lost a precious thing, and you're going to replace it until I get it back.”

 

His grip tightens around Prompto's neck and the boy struggles, trying to free himself by pushing Ardyn away but his efforts are uselss. He can't breath, and before he realizes what's really happening, his world turns black.

 

 

\--

 

 

Noctis stares at Prompto, mouth agape. He doesn't know what to say. He feels so bad for him and furious at his bestfriend. But he tries to resonate by telling himself that maybe Prom didn't have a choice. The blonde male is now quiet, eyes closed, tears rolling down his cheeks. Noctis sits on the matress of the bed to be closer to him and wraps his arms around the skinny body, careful not to touch or move the blood transfusion in his arm.

 

“I'm so sorry... I can't erase the past, but I'll do my best to give you a beautiful life and a bright future from now on. You can come and live in the palace if you want to, or at my apartment.”

 

Prompto doesn't move or reply, and the prince fears he may have lost consciousness again. He wants to pull away, but cold hands on his back stop him from doing so and he feels a warm breath on the skin of his neck.

 

“Please stay like this... Until I fall asleep.”

 

Noctis inclines his head, pecking a kiss on the others forehead and finds a comfortable position for the both of them. He waits for Prompto to fall into a sweet slumber before slowly moving off the bed. He sits back on the armchair and grabs his phone to text Ignis and ask him to come quickly.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it guys ! Please don't forget to leave a comment, this is really important and gives me motivation <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /!\ TRIGGER WARNING  
> This chapter is about torture and forced surgery, you've been warned guys. 
> 
> I'm shocked I managed to write this but this is necessary for the rest of the story. It's not that detailed (the surgery itself) but still.
> 
>  
> 
> YOU'VE BEEN WARNED GUYS.

Prom is conscious again a few hours later, opening his eyes only to close them immediatly when a strong light assaults his sensible pupils. He wants to use his hands as a shield from the agressive light directed right on his face but is unable to move when he tries to. He pulls at the leather bracelets around his wrists a few times, nothing happens. Panic makes its way inside his brain when he notices his feet are restrained too, something around his ankles preventing him from moving too much.

 

He takes a deep breath in, forcing himself to try and remain calm for now. He focuses on the sounds around him and his current state. He's lying on something flat and cold, metallic. With his hands and feet restrained. He can hear a device on his right making a constant and irritating beeping noise every few seconds. He turns his head on the right, twisting his neck painfully until his cheek meets with the cold metal under him and slowly open his eyes once again. Except for his own spot, the room is pitch black and the only things he can see are the lights coming from multiple devices around. He feels cold, too. He doesn't have his clothes on, but a paper-like clothing barely hiding his private parts. It looks really similar to those things you get to wear before undergoing surgery.

His eyes widen in horror at the realization. He knows this kind of room really well. He was born in one of them.

 

_This is not good._

 

His heart starts beating at a fast pace, hammering so hard inside his chest it's painful. Prom waits for his eyes to be used to the bright light to try to look at his own body and what he sees confirms his thoughts. It definitely looks like he is about to undergo some kind of surgery.

Tears form at the corner of his eyes as he whimpers in fear. He's back in Zegnautus Keep, Ardyn's here and he knows how angry he must be at him. He made him promise that he'd never leave him, back in the days when he was still living here.

Of course, Prom never intended to keep it. It took him little time to realize there was something wrong with the man and there was no way he wanted to spend his life with him. At first, Ardyn had been nice with him, praised and spoiled him everyday. But after just a few days and a few discussions with the other Prompto, he'd realized the way Ardyn was looking at him, touching him, was wrong. He didn't like how possessive the chancellor acted toward him, how he'd glare at people who just looked at Prom or engaged a conversation with him, or how brutal he could be with him for no reason. Ardyn wanted Prom just for himself, and it freaked him out.

Adding this to all the talks he had with Prompto, who explained to him how the empire was behaving with other countries and what the other MTs are used for, he couldn't take it. He refused to be a part of it.

 

Thankfully, Prom has the ability to learn really fast. And he was able to plan an escape with a few other hybrids, barely older than him. The oldest was three years old and had flaws that Prom didn't have. He didn't have enough nerve endings in his hands to be able to use them correctly or feel a simple touch, his eyes were always dry too and he had to hydrate them three to four time per days with a strange paste. It always grossed him out, when he'd seen a staff massaging the other's eyeball since he couldn't do it by himself, he didn't have the dexterity. Another had difficulties breathing, while a third one could barely think by himself. It should've been normal for people like them, except hybrids were supposed to be able to think like humans. This one, though, spent most of his time obeying to what anyone said rather than using his free will.

 

Ardyn had always told him that he was the most recent and perfect hybrid, without a single flaw, working perfectly. It was an honor, but it was also scary, maybe because of the way the chancellor always gazed at him while saying that.

 

He wanted to take Prompto with him, of course. He wanted to go to Insomnia together like they promised to, and meet the prince his friend kept blabbering about. But nothing went as planned, he never talked to him about it to be sure he wouldn't make a mistake or be too nervous, and he never got the time to go get him.  And once he'd made it to the kingdom of the Lucis, he was too terrified to go back, and pretty sure Ardyn would've killed his human friend out of anger. He and the two other hybrids who made it out decided to go on separate roads, and hes never seen them again.

 

He'd never expect to see him again and, to be fair, when he saw the other man in this terrible state, bloody, bones broken and his skin bruised, he wished he didn't. Because now that Noctis has left him here, he knows what to expect.

He feels bitter about his bestfriend's choice, even if he can understand his logic. He wanted to save a man who was weakened and about to die, but what if Ardyn was true when he said it was normal for him to choose the human over the machine? No, they're so close and spent so much good time together. He even thought Noctis had feelings for him.

 

_It's okay, Noct should come back soon. He promised. What time is it? How much time has passed since Noct has left? A few hours, a few days?_

 

He starts worrying his bottom lip, teeth digging in the skin. He mustn't panic, he just has to be patient, he knows Noctis will come back as soon as possible. Maybe he's already on his way back.

 

An old yet familiar beeping sound comes from the other end of the room and Prom clenches his teeth, knowing someone just opened the door and is walking toward him. His hands ball into fists when calloused fingers travel down the bare skin of his thighs.

 

“Finally, you're up. Did you sleep well ?” Ardyn's unmistakable voice resonates in the room, his voice like silk but he can feel the threat.

 

“Fuck you.” It's not the greatest thing to say when you're tied up and can't defend yourself, but he really needed to say it.

 

Ardyn chuckles next to him, his fingers digging in the pale skin. “I'm sure you want to, pretty boy. But for now I have something else planned for you. You're going to hate it, but you probably won't remember it.”

 

Two other people come in the room and turn the lights on, both dressed in medical lab coats. His bad feeling comes to a confirmation when one of them, a woman with long hair tied in a high pony tail, arranges different tools on a small table and asks to her colleague where the anesthetic is. Prom starts shaking, and looks at the chancellor who leans closer to him, a grin on his face.

 

“What are they going to do? Ardyn, please-”

 

“I warned you, didn't I? Don't pretend you don't remember.”

 

Prom closes his mouth and stares at the amber eyes, Ardyn doesn't even look that mad at him. He thinks fast, there is no way he can escape right now. So he goes for the only thing he can do. Tears gather in his eyes, blurring his vision.

 

“Ardyn, I'm sorry... I didn't want to leave you, the others made me, I-”

 

Ardyn's hand connects with his cheek harshly and his world goes white for a few seconds, the left side of his face feels hot and stings. He stops talking, swallows back his tears when he feels the chancellor's breathe against his skin.

 

“I hate lies, boy.” He straightens and takes a step back to let the woman who pinches a monitor around Prom's finger, then walks back to the device now showing his own pulse rate.

 

When he sees the man preparing a blood transfusion next to him, he starts panicking for real.

 

“What are you doing? A-Ardyn!”

 

The chancellor is now standing few meters away, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. “I told you I wouldn't forgive you if you left. Now that you're back, I'm just making sure you'll never try anything stupid again, or bother thinking about your little prince.”

 

“Chancellor, we're ready to start.” The woman sounds impatient, holding a syringe filled with what Prom hopes is an anesthetic while the man is holding an oxygen mask and a long plastic tube near the blond-haired boy.

 

Ardyn raises a brow, smirking. “Why bother with an anesthesia for him?”

 

“We can't afford to let him move during this surgery.”

 

The device shows Prom's heartbeat going to an alluring pace, his blood pressure increasing too. What is Ardyn talking about? What are they going to do?

 

“If that's all you're asking for, I'll take care of it.” The maroon-haired man replies and comes back to take Prom's cold hand in his. The smaller male is livid. Ardyn presses his lips against his ear and whispers, “It's going to be extremely painful, consider it like your punishement. And after this, you'll begin a new life.”

 

“Wait,” Prom starts crying, warm tears rolling on freckled skin, his whole body is trembling and he's struggling with his restrains. “Please, Ardyn, give me a chance! I'll be good, I swear I'll be g-”

 

Ardyn snaps his long fingers, cutting him short in his sentence and Prom's mouth refuses to obey him. He stops trembling, stops breathing, his entire body refusing to work, to do what it's normally supposed to do, even the basic survival. His lungs are burning and his vision becomes blurry. He wants to scream or fight when the flexible plastic tube is forced into his windpipe through his mouth **.** But nothing works. Even despite his gag reflex and his need to throw up , his stomach doesn't seem to be responsive either. He wants to look at Ardyn but his eyes are fixated on the cell.

 

Oxygen finally pours inside his lungs and it doesn't burn anymore, his vision back to normal. The intubation providing him with the air he needs. But the feeling of a foreign object stuck inside his throat is unbearable.

 

“Let's begin, shall we?”

 

The man nods and starts shaving the left side of Prom's head, quickly and messily. Dread takes over him when he realizes he can _feel_ everything. From the pain in his throat, the man's touch, the vibrations sent by the buzzing of the electric razor, and the cold liquid applied on the bare skin when there is no hair left on this area.

 

_No, please, don't._

 

He wants to beg, scream, anything. But nothing happens. All he can do is hear, see and feel absolutely everything.

 

_Noct, please, help me._

 

The woman comes closer, holding a scalpel in her right hand. “Let's be quick.”

 

“No,” There is a hint of amusement in Ardyn's voice, and he can picture the man's wolfish grin stretching his lips. “Please take your time.”

 

_Noct, where are you?_

 

Prom doesn't want to scream anymore when he feels the large incision cutting his flesh open and hears the words 'surgical saw', or his heartrate monitor going crazy.

 

He wants Noctis, he wants his best friend to burst the door open, save him from this hell, from the pain.

 

“No one is coming for you, my boy. You know it.”

 

_Noctis, you promised..._

 

“Do you really think your prince will bother coming back for a fake when he has the real Prompto beside him ?”

 

Blood drips on his face. The man wipes it with a gauze.

 

_Noct..._

 

“But fear not, you will forget about him soon.”

 

_N..._

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have some angst you guys @_@  
> I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter and will never be. I wanted to make it longer but nothing else comes to my mind and I'm just too excited to write the next one, will be muuuch better.  
> Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this <3

It feels warm inside the room, the beeping noise of the machine keeping track of Prompto's vitals reassuring and comforting, the white walls making him feel at ease compared to the cold metallic ones from Zegnautus Keep. Knowing that the other man isn't close to death anymore, Noctis can finally relax. He finds a more comfortable position in his chair and closes his eyes to rest a little.

He isn't really surprised when he wakes up suddenly, startled by the creaking of the door opening, Ignis comes in first, followed by Gladiolus right after. His advisor looks at the youngest, sound asleep in his bed, and keeps quiet. The shield though, doesn't keep his composure when he sees how hurt Prompto is and glares at the prince.

 

“What the fuck happened to him?”

 

Noctis worries his lower lip, he can't tell them the entire truth. They wouldn't understand him. “I don't know, I... I told you, I found a paper from Ardyn saying he kept him in Gralea. I just went there to retrieve him and he was like that.”

 

“Noct, I saw this boy last week and he was definitely not scrawny like this. Unless the chancellor found a way to suck the fat off people in a record time, there's something wrong with your story.”

 

Noctis struggles to swallow his own saliva, trying to think about something else. He sees Ignis nodding slowly and crossing his arms.

 

“Gladio's right. And I don't understand why the chancellor would kidnap him to just let him go right after, did you keep the paper?”

 

The crown prince shakes his head and sighs. He hates lying, especially to Ignis. The bespectacled man always knows when he's trying to bullshit him. It was a miracle he could leave the city without him knowing.

 

“Can we just go back home?”

 

Gladio groans in frustration, while his advisor pinches the bridge of his nose between two fingers, shaking his head.

 

“Fine, I will go get a nurse and ask her if we can take Prompto. But when we're home, you will have to tell us the truth.”

 

Noctis shrugs and sits back, trying his best to keep his composure, but he doesn't know how long it'll last. He wants to tell them the truth, but also fears their reactions. He doesn't even know how he feels himself, he doesn't need his retainers to confuse him more.

 

Ignis comes back with a nurse who checks Prompto's wounds, earning an exasperated sound from Gladio when he sees just how skinny and hurt he is. Covered in bruises, old scars and fresh cuts. The tall man looks furious and guilty at the same time. Of course, Prom's close with all of them, gets along with both Gladio and Ignis. The four of them often have dinner together, even went camping near Galdin Quay for a few days last year. How could Gladio not appreciate him? He couldn't protect him, and the shield is infuriated at the thought. 

The woman frowns when she checks on one of the wounds and an unbearable smells assaults their noses. Noctis checks by himself, curious, only to jump and look away when he sees pus coming out of it. It's disgusting.

 

“I'm sorry. His wound is infected and he has a slight fever, it'd be better for him if he stays a few days.”

 

Ignis inclines his head. “I understand, we will book a room in a hotel nearby, and wait for his condition to improve, thank you.”

 

The nurse seems contented and cleans the wound, bandages him and asks them as gently as possible to leave so Prompto can rest. Noctis is offended, he really wants to stay by his side, but a simple look from Ignis tells him that he should do what he's told. And so, the three of them leave the hospital after the prince made sure that no one but them was allowed to visit him.

They already know were they're going to spend the night, and the three men walk toward the leville hotel. When they're finally inside the room, Noctis sits on the edge of a bed and sighs deeply when his two friends take a seat in a leathered sofa, staring at him.

 

“This guy isn't Prompto. I mean, he is. But he isn't the Prompto you guys know.”

 

“What?” Gladio simply says, confused. His thick brows knitted together and his face slowly turning to a red color, he's going to explode when he understands.

 

Ignis remains quiet, waiting for their prince to go on.

 

“When I arrived in Zegnautus Keep, there were two Prompto in the same cell. I swear to you guys...” he pauses, hiding his face between his hands for a moment before he continues, “It was fucking crazy, they were like twins. Ardyn... He told me I could take only one back home.”

 

He looks up to watch the two older men, see their reactions or if they're starting to understand. The two of them look pale. Noctis takes a deep breath, he has to tell everything now.

 

“He's a magitek... My... _My_ Prompto. He was a magitek all along, while the other was the real one.” He stops talking, a knot tightening inside his throat and tears blurring his vision.

 

“And you made the choice to take the human back here.” Ignis finishes for him and Noctis nods in agreement, sniffing.

 

“That's... crazy. We've been living with a nif so close to you the whole time and we didn't notice. He's so different from the MT we had to fight against until now.”

 

“That's because he's a different type.” Noctis starts sobbing, his lips trembling. “They're made from humans' DNA, and.. They're more like clones, you know? But still with mechanic stuff inside them. I found files mentionning their use as spies, but they stopped making them when some of them escaped.” He sighs. “Prompto is one of them.”

 

Ignis crosses his legs, thoughtful. “That's incredible, and terrifying. I knew the empire had a powerful technology, but to think they can create spies as realistic as he was...”

 

“Yeah...” Noctis is quiet for a moment, “You guys... I want you to take Prompto back to Insomnia and protect him, make sure he's fine. I have to go back there.”

 

Gladio scoffs and straightens in his seat. “There's no way you're going back there Noct.”

 

“And what for ?” Ignis adds, frowning. “Don't tell me you want to retrieve the fake Prompto as well.”

 

“He's my friend! I can't... I can't let him alone with Ardyn in Gralea. He doesn't deserve this... And I promised I would save him.”

 

His two retainers look at each other, exchanging their own opinions in silence. Noctis was always amazed by how well they understand each other. A simple look is enough for these two to communicate. Ignis focuses on the prince, while Gladio rubs his face with his hands.

 

“I'm sorry to say that, Noct, but you're being irrational. Now that you know the fake Prompto was just a magitek, there's no point going back there. It's not worth the risk, especially for a mindless-”

 

“He wasn't mindless! He was always so expressive, don't you remember? Even the files said they could think by themselves. He isn't just a simple robot Iggy, he-”

 

“It was probably part of his programs, Noctis!” The advisor slams his fist on the arm of the sofa, startling the crown prince who stares at him with wide eyes. “We've always know the empire had a great technology, but we underestimated them. Prompto was... probably just programmed to act the way he did, but because his AI is so incredibly smart doesn't mean he's a human being. You can't tell a machine can think, Noct. For now, we need to head back to Insomnia and warn your father about possible spies among us.

 

Warm tears roll on the young man's cheeks who doesn't know what to reply, mouth agape. His heart's pounding in his chest and feels a painful headache radiating around his entire head. Usually he'd sleep the sadness, the anger, or the pain off, but he can't.

 

“But I... I wanted to...”

 

He can't say that to them. Two days ago, he was ready to make his coming-out if Prompto accepted his feelings, he wanted to tell him how he's been crazyfor him since day one. He isn't just losing a close friend, he's losing the man whom he bought a ring for, three weeks ago. He struggled to find Prompto's ring size, had to hide his identity with a disguise to go and buy matching rings in a nice jewelry. He didn't want to ask him to marry him of course, but he wanted to seal their relationship. And he knew Prompto would love the idea.

 

And here he is now. Being told the man he's in love with is a mindless machine, stuck with a stranger who looks exactly like him.

 

“It can't be. I can't let him go, Iggy please you have to understand.”

 

“What do you want, Noct? The real Prompto is here now, recovering in this hospital and he needs you!” Gladio spits, anger boiling dangerously inside him. “And there's no way we're letting you go back there, you could've been kidnapped or killed!”

 

“I have to agree.” Ignis sighs. “And we can't let the people of Lucis know about this, it could create tensions and paranoia. For now, we're going back to the crown city. We'll figure something about it after talking with your father.”

 

“My father will never let me go back, you know it.” Noctis clenches his fists.

 

“That's true. But we can't hide this from him either, you could still be in danger.”

 

“I knew I should've never talked to you about it.” The raven-haired man whispers.

 

But Prompto would've talked, he will need to, Noctis understands. And he needs to keep him safe, he doesn't deserve a single thing that happened to him back in Gralea. He'll need to start a new life, and the prince really wants to give him a beautiful one.

 

Gladio leaves, probably because he needs some fresh air. Ignis comes to stand beside him, taking Noctis' hand in his, the small gesture soothing his pain a little. Saddly, it's not helping him to make a choice, even if he doesn't seem to have one for now.

 

“I'm sorry, Noctis.” His advisor begins. “I wish I could tell you that we'll go with you to find him, but it's dangerous. It's probably a trap, or the chancellor playing with your mind, you know how he is.”

 

He has a point, Ardyn Izunia is a theatrical creature and great manipulator. He could feel it the first time they met, back when he was still a child. He never liked this man, he'd make him so uncomfortable with this twisted smile of his. Ignis could be true.

 

“But... Even if he's a machine, then we could... I don't know, reset his programs, change them?” He lifts up his head to look at the man with hopeful eyes.

 

“Noct...” Ignis' free hand brushes away a dark strand of hair from the prince's flawless face. “Even if we knew how to do that, what would be the point then? He'd lose his memories with you. Beside...” He heaves a sigh, trying to find the good words. “I fear that he could already have been deactivated. If what you said about the empire stopping their production is true, maybe they wouldn't be willing to keep him.”

 

“No.” Noctis shakes his head. “Ardyn said he would keep him... He... He's going to torture him too.”

 

Ignis keeps quiet for a moment, barely moving. “Noct, maybe you should sleep and try to think about this later.” He stands up, and Noctis feels cold all of sudden. “I'll go get Gladio, we all need to rest. You take a shower and sleep.”

 

He walks out the room, leaving the prince alone with a hole in his heart.

 

Noctis slowly takes off his clothes and wraps himself around a warm blanket. Shuts the lights off and closes his eyes.

 

Maybe Ignis and Gladio are right, maybe it's just a trap.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And if you guys want to talk, here is my tumblr ! http://kupoxv.tumblr.com/


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's another chapter of "I'm a monster what have I done" but I'm still not guilty! (okay, maybe just a little).  
> Prom's POV, hope you guys like this atrocity!
> 
> WARNING : Oculolinctus (just in case anyone hates this as much as I do. I still wanted to give this a try) and mentions of past torture

The boy lying on the cold operating table has been awake for hours now. Mouth agape, eyes wide open fixated on the ceiling above him. He was untied once the surgery was over, unable to move but conscious the whole time. He doesn't know how long it lasted but he's sure of one thing, for every second of it, he wished his brain would shut off and spare him the unbearable pain. He could see and feel everything, his mind going blank whenever the woman would dig inside the rather large wound in his head with different type of tools, things got worse everytime he noticed there was something missing.

 

First, the reason why he was here.

Second, who these people were.

Third, where he came from, and he could hear the device keeping track of his blood pressure and heartbeat going wild.

Fourth, who did those grey-blue eyes flashing in his mind belonged to.

Fifth, his name.

 

At this point, he didn't care anymore about the things that were stolen from his memory. He had no reason to panic. Hell, he didn't even know what he was doing here, he just knew he wanted the torture to stop.

 

The pain is still here, throbbing around and inside his head. He can feel the stitches on the left part of his head, itching and tearing the skin. He doesn't know what he's done to deserve this.

 

Do all people start living their life like this? It's like his just started, he's just a newborn with an empty mind, ready to learn and make memories. No matter how good or horrible they are, as long as he stops feeling like a blank sheet of paper.

Heavy red lids close before his eyes a few times, trying to blink away the bothering white veil in front of his left eye but it just won't leave. He'll have to do with this, hopefully it will fade with time. But for now, everything is blur and he has to force with the other.

 

He sits up slowly after he made sure there were no leathered bracelets imprisoning his trembling limbs, but as soon as he is standing straight, his head is spinning violently, a wave of diziness rushes to his brain and his world goes white.

When he opens his eyes again, he's lying on the cold concrete, body shaking and the right part of his face painful. He stands up again, lifting himself on his elbows first, grimacing when he tastes something sour and acid in his mouth and he realizes he's lying in his own bile. He must have vomited while he was unconscious, he's lucky he didn't choke.

 

It takes a lot of time for him to be stable on his two feet and see correctly – at least from his right eye. He looks around him, taking in his surroudings. He knows this place, he's been here many times, and he knows he hate it, too. Something in his mind's screaming danger, every single part of his body begging him to leave now and he chooses to listen to it.

 

It's not like he knows what else to do, so listening to his instinct may be the best idea for now.

 

He spots a medical blouse left on a chair and puts it on. It takes an eternity for his clumsy fingers to button the front and he stops after the third one. The clothing isn't really helping to warm him, but at least he's not feeling as naked and vulnerable, though he wish he had some pants too, or underwear at least. His feet feel too cold, and he dreams of something warm around it. What is it called again? Ah, right. Socks.

 

He leaves the room and stops once he's in the empty corridors, no one in sight, for now. It's better, something tells him he doesn't want anyone to see him yet. He takes a deep breath in, trying to figure what he's going to do next. Which way he should take. It's frustrating, he knows this entire area, but his memories refuse to come back.

 

He sighs when nothing comes to his mind and chooses to keep walking, wandering through the corridors until he accidently activates a door. He jumps in surprise, whimpering when he thinks someone may be coming but relaxes when he realizes he had his hand on the wall to support himself and his barcode isn't hidden. The device must have recognized his code and let him in. This is strange, how he just knows about it.

 

The door opens in front of a big living room, and it looks strangely out of place but is still very familiar. He knows the smells, the feeling of the carpet under his feet and the peaceful atmosphere. He sits on the sofa and stares at the empty seat on his left.

 

“My name's Prompto...” He whispers without really knowing why and frowns. Is it really his name? He isn't sure. He does his best to dig in his memories, but it feels like he's facing a wall and nothing comes out of it. He looks at the barcode tattoed on his wrist, it's written NH-01987. Could it be his real name? But Prompto sounds definitely better, and it warms up his chest when he mutters it once more.

 

There's a smaller, wooden door at the other side of the room and he curiously walks inside a bathroom. His dry throat reminds him of how thirsty he is when he sees the sink and he almost throws himself on the faucet, gulping as much of the fresh water as he can until he almost chokes and caughs.

He straightens once he's satiated and has washed the bile off his mouth, and freezes when he meets with his own reflection in the mirror.

 

Blond hair is sticking against his forehead, framing only the right side of his livid face while the left side is a total mess of blood, bruises, orange-yellow solution that must be an antiseptic, and stitches. He leans in closer to take a good look at his left eye, a pale blue compared to the right one, slowly turning to a cloudy color. He'd think it has always been like this, if only he didn't feel so bothered, which makes him believe both of his eyes were supposed to have a perfect vision.

 

He keeps staring at his reflection for a while, wondering if he's always looked like this, and what he looked like before. He shakes his head, now isn't the time for that kind of questions. There's still this little voice inside his head telling him he has to leave. Go somewhere safe.

 

He wishes he could relax and rest for a little, his body is so tensed and his legs barely holding him, but fear overcomes this idea when he hears something like heavy footsteps above him. He lifts his head up and observes the ceiling of the living room quietly until his eyes fall on the vents.

 

He stops breathing for a few seconds when something flashes in his mind. The vents. He needs to get in the vents. He did this before, he doesn't know why or when, but he knows it will take him to safety.

 

But first, he needs to lock the door.

 

He walks out the bathroom toward the main door and looks at the small unlocking device next to it. He stands in front of it for a while before pressing a button on the side of it and opening it. He disassembles the metallic frame – his fingers more dexterou than he'd expect, knowing exactly what to do – until he sees three cables of different colors and doesn't think about it, he just rips off the blue one. The green light indicating that the door is activated shuts off and the blond-haired boy sighs in relief.

 

He makes sure the pannel doesn't react to his barcode before pushing a wide table with all types of books on it under the vents' grid, climbs on it and grabs the bars to pull at it, putting all his weight and using all the strength he has left until it falls off. He abandons the grid on the floor and pulls himself up inside the dark but comforting airway, smiling when he notices his body isn't so stiff anymore and he's recovering quickly.

 

He crawls his way through the vents for a long time, ignoring the new pain due to the skin of his elbows and knees rubbing constantly against the thin metallic walls, following his instinct and flashes of memories until he's too exhausted. He stops close to another grid a few meters further, reassured by the light coming from the room under him and he lets himself drift off.

 

 

…

 

 

He doesn't wake up because he's rested enough, but because of the sound of a way too familiar voice. Prompto opens his eyes and looks down through the bars, curious to know who does this voice belong to and why it sends shivers down his spine. He scans the room the best he can and gasps when he spots a maroon-haired man talking with someone else. He sounds calm, but irritated at the same time.

 

“You were supposed to keep an eye on him.”

 

“I apologize Chancellor, but there was an emergency and he wasn't supposed to be able to walk before days or-”

 

The man stops talking when the said chancellor breaks eye contact with him to look up. Prompto stops breathing, doesn't dare to move an inch. It feels like those amber eyes are staring at him, piercing through the darkness. But it can't be, he didn't make any noise, he's been silent the whole time and the space between the bars is too tight for him to see the boy.

 

It feels like an eternity until the man focuses back on the other male and they leave the room after a few minutes. The youngest saying that _he_ can't be far. Prompto exhales, he must hurry now.

 

 

…

 

 

He doesn't know how long it took him to reach the room he's in. He had to slow down to make sure he doesn't make any noise when security guards run through the corridors mentionning a missing MT, he knows they're after him. Like a shadow, he crawled his way through the enormous building, nobody aware of his presence, until he found the area where he wants to be and managed to drop from his hiding place. It's a miracle he didn't sneeze until now, when he sees all the dust and dirt he dragged with him while he was inside the vents, the front part of his clothing, his hands, thighs and feet turned to a dirty dark grey. 

And now he's here, in this huge place filled with empty exoskeletons ready to be filled with daemons and start working.

 

He isn't sure about what he wants to do exactly until he finds smaller armors he could fit inside and stops in front of one of them. If he can blend into a group of magiteks, he'll be able to ride a ship far from this place and meet with Noctis.

 

“Noctis...” He whispers, fingers drawing familiar features on the metallic mask. He likes the sound of this name on his tongue, the way his dry lips stretch into a small smile when he says it and his heart beats faster. Whoever he is, Prompto wants to see him, _again_.

 

He's about to take the armor off its hooks when he feels a presence behind him and stops moving when a large hand firmly grips his shoulder.

 

“I must say I'm quite disappointed.” The chancellor's voice rises from behind him. “I was expecting something new from a smart boy like you. Did you really think that it'd work again?”

 

The maroon-haired man forces him to turn around to face him. Something tells Prompto he shouldn't look at him in the eyes, but he needs to see his face. Ambers stare at him, a well-known crooked illuminates the bigger man's face while his free hand grips tightly around his throat, threatening to crush his windpipe.

 

“Right, you probably don't remember it. Not fully, at least. It seems the last surgery was a failure, I'm impressed you could make it so far after what they've done to you a few hours ago.”

 

Prompto gasps, it was him. He was there during the whole surgery. He's the one who started this, it's...

 

“Ardyn?” The boy manages to say before calloused fingers tighten their grip.

 

The man smiles. “You do remember a few important things.” He leans in, so close their foreheads touch. Warm hands leave his throat to cup his face, the fingers of his left hand entangled in blond hair and while his right index presses against the fresh wound on his cranium, his thumb wanders dangerously close to his blind eye. “You're such a mess.”

 

He pecks his forehead multiple times, slowly moving to his brow and going down. Prompto wants to close his eye when he feels those lips pressing softly against it, but the chancelor won't let him, using two fingers to keep him from moving his lids, pressing his body against the boy's. His back meets with a wall and he knows he's trapped. Shaking, freckled and bruised hands press against the bigger man to push him away in vain. He cries when he feels the tip of Ardyn's tongue playing with his eyeball, catching tears that can't be shed. It's not as painful as expected, but the feeling is absolutely disgusting and assaulting. There's nothing nice or sensual about this, despite the soft groans coming from Ardyn's throat.

 

“N-No...” He keeps whimpering until the chancellor is satisfied and slams him harder against the wall, rubbing his arousal between Prompto's shaking thighs.

 

Warm lips brush against the sensible skin of his ear, but the man's voice is ice cold.

 

“I'm going to break you. Tear you apart until there's nothing left but an empty shell, so I can remodel you the way I want you to be.”

 

Prompto wants to cry, scream and beg, but terror has him paralyzed. His heart's hammering in his chest, his vision hazy. Ardyn speaks again, two fingers pressing cruelly on his wound and weakened skull while he mentions something about trying another, more traditionnal way, but the pain is so intense he can't understand anything. His limbs are numb and his eyes roll back, all his muscles brutally relaxing when the unbearable suffering drags him into darkness and the last thing he thinks about are those loving grey-blue eyes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't 100% satisfied once again, I wish I could describe a few things more but I'm afraid too much details could trigger you guys. So I'm going to keep it like this for now!  
> Please leave a comment and tell me what you think :3  
> (also, next chapter will also be from Prom's POV)


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